The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-02-09
THE RAILWAYS AND THE LAW.
Action of the Central Traffic Association
Views Of Commissioner Blanchard.

CLEVELAND, Feb. 8.--The executive commit
tee of the Central Traffic Association met to-day
at the Office of President Newell, of the Lake
Shore, and adopted very important series OF
resolutions. The meeting has been called for the
purpose of deciding the fate of the organization,
whether, under the interstate commerce act, it
could maintain its existence; if So in what form,
and what its relations to this recent national
legislation WERE There were present, John
Newell. president; Addison Hills. assistant to
the president, and j. T. R. Mckay, general
freight agent of the Lake Shore; J. N. McCul-
Tough. first vice-president, W. II. Stewart
general freight agent, and D. S. Gray
| of the Pennsylvania Company; Judge S. Burke
president, G. NJ. Beach, general manager, and
Edgar Hill, general freight agent of the Bee
| line; George R. Blanchard commissioner of the
Central Traffic Associations George Cochran,
| general freight agent Of the New York, Penn
| sylvania & Ohio; Col H. Orland Smith, second
vice-president OF the Baltimore Ohio. and w.
j. Spicer. general manager of the Chicago Il
| Grand Trunk. M. Newell was chairman of the
| meeting. Commissioner Blanchard delivered
address to the committee, outlining what he
thought should be the policy of the association
In respect to the interstate-commerce act. Other
| addresses followed from the various members,
and the following resolutions, which embody the
sentiment and opinion expressed, were unani-
mously adopted:
Resolved, That this committee recommends That
the Central Traffic Association be continued with the
understanding that its methods statistical statements
etc. be revised to conform to such railway action
der the interstate law shall be finally decided upon.
Resolved, That in the judgment of this committee
the law should be accepted interpreted with Just re-
gard for the great mutual commercial, railway and
public interests involved generally in conformity with
the definitions of the law explained by Senator Gull
om in the Senate debate thereon and this association
will cooperate with the commissioners under the in
terstats-commerce law in securing as far possible
the benefits of that bill and in the observance of all
| its provisions.
Resolved, That this committee meet with the trunk
line executive committee on the call of the latter
and that joint executive committee, constituted
for that purpose proceed such further agreement
and Recommendations of detail may be required by
the Interpretation of the agreed upon by such ex
ecutive committee, and then submit the same to
meeting of the association for its final action.
Resolved That copies hereof be transmitted by the
secretary of this meeting to the trunk lines, through
their commissioner and to the managers of this
citation together with the full minutes of this meet
ing and the managers of this association request
ed to convey to the commissioner prior to the meet
ing of such joint executive committee such queries
views as they desire considered thereat
1t will be noticed that the shape which the as
ISOLATION will assume is not indicated. That is
left for future meeting of the association to
| determine.
"A reporter met Commissioner Blanchard after
| the meeting had adjourned, and inquired wheth-
| err, in his opinion, efficient association could
be maintained in the face of the structures as to
pooling which the nterstate-commerce act pre-
| sented.
/ There is no doubt of itn replied MI Blanch-
ard; ''there is a very erroneous impression with
great many people that the object of the Cen
| trail Traffic Association is to pool the business Of
| its members. The real purpose of the associa-
ton is to maintain rates, and the pooling of bus
mess is only one of the means adopted to attain
this object We don't need that means
| under this act, for the law itself pro-
| vides that rates must be maintained.
There is, however. great necessity for an agree
ment among the roads as to just what their rates
shall be. The law does not prohibit that. The
local rates on the Lake Shore here will affect the
| through rates from Chicago, and the through
rate from Chicago made by the Lake Shore will
affect the rates of all the other lines from Chi
| cago. Then the rates at Chicago will affect the
rates at Peoria, at st. Louis and everywhere
else. You see there is necessity for agree
ment among the lines az to what the tariff shall
| be-"
4 .'And can rates be maintained without some
means of apportionng the business from COM
| mon points among the competitive linesT
| Undoubtedly. Some members believe that,
| under the interstate-commerce act. means can be
devised whereby the business may be appor-
toned without violating the clause prohibiting
pooling, but the general feeling is not to at
tempt anything of the kind just now, but to al
low each lins to keep all the business it eets.'
Would not that encourage the cutting of
ratesl"
mo; for the reason that it must be done
openly and for everybody. The cutting of rates
III the past has been most disastrous, because it
was done secretly and in favor of all large ship
pers. road would make reduction quietly
and scoop all the business. The other lines
would not know of it until it was too late, but
now they will know it at once and can meet it
promptly, so that there will be no advantage to
be obtained by the reduction"
s'Will not uniformity of rates send all the
business over the strong lines, leaving nothing
for the weaker roads2"
in freight traffic, no; in passenger traffic. it
probably would and the principle of diferentials
in passenger business may be recognized. There
will probably be number of changes in the
method of conducting this department.. One
measure advocated in the meeting to-day was
the retirement of all mileage books. By the in
terstate act any one may purchase mileage
; book. The argument is if they sold to the
I public generally. great many will find their way
into the hands Of the ticketscalpers."
AwfuIly Anxious to Comply with the Law.
CHICAGO. Feb. 8-The members of the pas